An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk IslandHunter, John
History
An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk Island
Hunter, John
New South Wales -- History -- Sources
This native has no less than five names, viz. "-Bannelon,
Wollewarre, Boinba, Bunde-bunda, Woge trowey_," but he
likes best to be called by the second: he is a stout, well made
man, about five feet six inches high, and now that the dirt is
washed from his skin, we find his colour is a dark black: he is
large featured, and has a flat nose; his hair is the same as the
Asiatics, but very coarse and strong: he is very good-natured,
being seldom angry at any jokes that may be passed upon him, and
he readily imitates all the actions and gestures of every person
in the governor's family; he sits at table with the governor,
whom he calls "-Beanga_," or Father; and the governor calls
him "-Dooroow_," or Son: he is under no restraint, nor is he
the least aukward in eating; indeed, considering the state of
nature which he has been brought up in, he may be called a polite
man, as he performs every action of bowing, drinking healths,
returning thanks, etc. with the most scrupulous attention. He
is very fond of wine, but cannot bear the smell of spirits,
although they have often tried to deceive him, by mixing very
weak rum or brandy and water, instead of wine and water; but he
would instantly find out the deception, and on these occasions he
was angry: his appetite is very good, for he soon began to
perceive the difference between a full and a short allowance.
He walks about constantly with the governor, who, to make him
sensible of the confidence he placed in him, always took off a
small sword which he usually wore, and gave it to
Wolle-warre, who put it on, and was not a little pleased
at this mark of confidence. His dress is a jacket, made of the
coarsest red kersey, and a pair of trowsers; but on Sundays, he
is drest in nankeen. The governor's reason for making him wear
the thick kersey is, that he may be so sensible of the cold as
not to be able to go without cloaths.
Wolle-warre has had a wife, who, it seems, died a short time
before he was taken: he sometimes mentions this circumstance, and
it occasions a momentary gloom; but this his natural gaiety soon
dissipates: he sings, when asked, but in general his songs are in
a mournful strain, and he keeps time by swinging his arms:
whenever asked to dance, he does it with great readiness; his
motions at first are very slow, and are regulated by a dismal
tune, which grows quicker as the dance advances, till at length
he throws himself into the most violent posture, shaking his
arms, and striking the ground with great force, which gives him
the appearance of madness. It is very probable that this part of
the dance is used as a sort of defiance, as all the natives which
were seen when we first arrived at Port Jackson, always joined
this sort of dance to their vociferations of "-woroo,
woroo_," go away.
To what I have already said, respecting this man, a few more
particulars will be added in the following vocabulary, which Mr.
Collins permitted me to copy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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